Caring for a Dragon
by Fallen Ark Angel
Summary: Laxus has the flu according to Mirajane. He's pretty sure though that he's dying. Or at least it sure feels that way. And what does an ill (dying) man need? His girlfriend, of course! So why is he getting all these stupid rejects to care for him?
1. Chapter 1

Caring for a Dragon

Chapter 1

It was always different for Mirajane, when Laxus slept over. It meant, in short, in the mornings that she had to be a lot quieter. Or at least she tried to be. Still, she couldn't help humming at times or accidentally calling out to him to remind him of what he needed to get done during the day.

That morning though, as she went around her bedroom getting dressed and leaving at times to head into the bathroom, she noticed something…odd. Or wrong. About Laxus. Usually when she'd call out to him, he'd grunt or complain about her keeping him up. That or he'd put his headphones on and completely ignore her.

He did none of those things that time, however. Even when she forgot he was there and turned the bedroom light on, he didn't make a sound.

Concerned, she eventually found herself going over to his side of the bed and reaching out to touch him.

He was warm. Burning up. And when she finally did awaken him, she saw that he left a trail of sweat behind on the bed sheets.

How had she missed that when they were sleeping next to each other the whole night?

"Mira, I feel bad," was the first thing he groaned out to her. Sniffling, he said, "I think I'm dyin'."

"Laxus-"

'My lacrima must've, like, dissipated inside me. Or leaked something into me. I've been poisoned. This is it. I-"

"Be quiet." She was resting a palm against his forehead then, just to be sure. "You have a fever. Does your stomach hurt?"

"I feel like I gotta vomit, yeah."

"Do you need to?" She moved to take his hands then and help him up. He only lurched forwards slightly before jerking away from her and rushing away, into the adjoining bathroom. He made it in record time, luckily, to the toilet which her marvelous dinner from the night before found its way into.

"Oh, Laxus," she groaned, going in there. He only stood there though, hunched over, staring down at the toilet for a moment before glancing at her. "I have to get to work. Come here. Are you done?"

He only nodded, his eyes bloodshot and his skin nearly as pale as hers.

"You're gonna leave me?" he asked pitifully as she got busy running a wet washcloth over his face before down his bare chest, as if to cool him off some. "I wouldn't leave you, if you were sick."

"Just…" Mirajane was defeated then, staring at him. He was even pouting slightly. Groaning then, she grabbed one of his hands before dragging him back into the bedroom.

"Lay down and I'll be right back."

"Are you leav-"

"Just lay down. I'm going to get you some pills and a glass of water."

"But my stomach-"

"I will be back, Laxus. Honestly, if you're this bad sick, I understand why they shoved a lacrima in you to shut you up."

That wasn't a good thing to say to him though, as they both knew the real reason it was placed there, but it did get him to lay down once more. She only stroked his cheek gently before turning to head off.

It was a shot in the dark, she knew, as she headed down the hall to his sister's room. Since she'd begun dating Bickslow, it was rather rare that she'd be home at night. Or ever, really. They were practically living together already, just without the label.

"Lisanna? Are you home?"

She was for once, bundled up under blankets in the darkness. The sun had yet to come up and though the sky was beginning to lose some of its dark shades in favor of lighter ones, her room was pitch black.

"Mirajane?" she groaned as her sister came over to her bed, gently shaking her shoulder. "What's up?"

"I need you to go in for me."

"Huh?"

"Lisanna, hurry. Get up. You have to-"

"Something wrong?" She blinked in the darkness before moving to sit up some. "Or-"

"Laxus has a fever and threw up. I think he has the stomach flu or something. Can you just go in for-"

"Mirajane," she groaned. "I got home at two last night and practically just fell asleep. I-"

"If you don't go in for me, then you have to take care of Laxus. Can you do that?"

"He's puking? Ew, no. Gross."

Rolling her eyes, she said, "You have got to help me out here, Lisanna. One or the other. Just pick one. Please?"

"Mira, I'm sleepy and-"

"I would do anything for you. Anything. I-"

"Fine," she groaned, moving to shove her covers off then. "I'll go in for you. But I can't do all three shifts. Bickslow and I were going to-"

"That's fine. Perfect even. I'll have someone else stay with him in the afternoon. So all you have to worry about is the morning shift. Alright?"

"If I have to," she groaned, heading over to her closet to find something to wear. "He's really that sick, huh?"

"Yeah, he is."

"And he wants you around?"

Mira was heading to the door then, but paused, glancing over her shoulder at her words. "What do you mean?"

"You know," she said with a shrug. "A big guy like Laxus? Someone could break all his bones and still defeat any opponent you sat in front of him? I figure that he wouldn't like you hanging around when he's in pain. Or that he would try to feign like he wasn't sick."

"Lisanna, you'll learn soon enough with Bickslow that when men are sick, there's nothing they want more than for you to baby them."

Rolling her eyes, she said, "Have fun with that."

She only giggled as she headed out of the room and back to her own.

"Oh trust me, I will."

Upon returning to her boyfriend, Mirajane had gotten him, as promised, some water and a few pills. Not to mention some crackers.

"For your tummy," she explained as he swallowed the pills. "When you feel a little better, you can snack on some, huh?"

"Can't eat nothing. My stomach hurts."

"I know, silly," she sighed, moving to join him in bed. Gently patting his stomach once, she immediately began to stroke it. "But if you don't, then your tummy will feel worse empty. So in a few minutes, if you can keep your medicine down, you'll munch on some of those, huh?"

"No."

"Oh, Laxus." She kissed his cheek as he settled back into bed. "Are you going to be this big of a baby all day?"

"I'm not a baby." He sniffled making Mirajane frown before pushing up out of the bed. Leaving the room for a moment, she returned with a box of tissues from the living room.

"Here you go." She held out the box to him, but he only turned his head. "Laxus-"

"No." More sniffles. "Blowing your nose is, like, for idiots. I'm fine."

"Your nose is all clogged up."

"Mira-"

"What is your objection to a simple tissue, Laxus? I mean, seriously?"

"They're for women. No man actually uses-"

"I'm sorry," she said then with a shake of her head. "Am I talking to my boyfriend or my brother?"

"Stupid Elfman didn't invent being a man," he grumbled as he crossed his arms and looked at her. Sniffling again, he said, "I don't feel good. Come rub my stomach and stop arguing with- Mirajane."

She only stood there in front of him, having taken one of the tissues out and held it against his nose. Keeping her eyes locked with his, she made a simple command.

"Blow."

"This is demeaning," Laxus grumbled though not a second later, he followed her instructions. "Very demeaning."

"Good boy." She patted his head with her other hand before heading off to go drop the dirty tissue in the trashcan in the bathroom before returning to him. Slipping back into bed, she said, "That wasn't so bad, huh?"

"That was very bad."

"Oh, shush," she sighed, taking to rubbing his stomach some more. "Just lay here and try to sleep, huh? And if your tummy gets upset again, don't worry. Just try to make it to the bathroom, huh? You know that I'm here to take care of you. Don't you?"

"All day?"

She hesitated before leaning up to give his cheek another kiss. "Just rest, Laxus. We'll deal with that later, huh?"

"No, Mira." He needed to sniffle again, but held off as there was no way he wanted her trying to help him blow his nose again. His woman loved him, fine, but some times she was just downright gross. If not a little overbearing. "I want you here with me. All day. Alright?"

Another kiss. "Just sleep. Let's hope this is just a twenty-four hour bug, huh?"

Twenty-four hours? The way he was feeling, he didn't know if he could handle another one!

But…Mira's hand did feel rather nice against his stomach, rubbing slightly. And the way she was breathing softly against him helped ease some of his pain. He was still burning up though and that wasn't any good. But all things given, it wasn't hard to fall back asleep.

For awhile anyways. Eventually he found himself huddled over the toilet, losing everything inside of him. Even his guts, it felt like.

Mira only stood there though, gently rubbing his back and telling him it was alright. Yeah, Mira, he got it. It was okay that he was sick.

Sheesh, sometimes she treated him like such a little boy.

When that was all over, she made him go lay down again, that time on his side, as she went to make him some soap. Not before rubbing him down with a damp cloth again. It felt good at the time, but not soon after she left, he felt unbelievably cold.

"You're fever broke," Mira told him simply as when she came back into the room, she found him huddled under the blankets. "That's all."

"No. I'm dying. Get the old woman in here!"

"I am not going to get Porlyusica, Laxus, for a cold. Or flu."

"See? You don't even know what I got. I need a professional."

"Right. And this is coming from the man that won't even let anyone wash his wounds or change his gauze after a battle?"

"That's different, Mirajane," he hissed at her though his body wasn't much up for it. "Those are battle wounds. War wounds. If I die from those, I welcome it. I want to go out this way. But huddled up in bed with my girlfriend helping me blow my nose and rubbing my stomach? No freaking thank you."

"Oh, Laxus," she sighed, just staring at him then as he sniffled some more. "What am I going to do with you?"

Another sniffle. "Get me a damn doctor or-"

"You need to blow your nose again?"

"Mira-"

"Here." She went to grab a tissue and, once more, Laxus learned what it meant to truly be a spineless, worthless human being. If that was what being loved was like, he'd rather go his whole life hated.

He was going his whole life hated, before the damn demon decided to claim him.

…Though she wasn't squeamish about nothing. His vomit or snot. That was a good quality in a woman. A lovely one. And after she fed him some soup, she only wrapped him up in a blanket and helped him fall back asleep, even singing softly to him.

Maybe all that pampering stuff wasn't so bad.

Maybe.

* * *

"You look stressed."

"Not stressed," Mirajane said as she wiped down the bar, hardly glancing up as Lucy and Erza sat down at it. "Just worried."

"About?" Lucy continued to press, just staring at her.

"Lax-"

"Please," Natsu groaned as he too came to take a seat. "No more talking about Laxus. Not unless I can fight him! All the other stuff you guys talk about is boring."

Mirajane giggled as Erza only shushed him.

"You can't fight him today anyways, Natsu," Mira told him as she went to get them all something to drink and Happy, who was atop his best friend's head, a fish. "He's sick."

"Laxus?" Erza seemed shocked and only stared at her former rival with wide eyes. "I didn't know that was possible."

"Don't be silly."

"No, I'm with Erza," Lucy said a Happy nodded his head.

"What's wrong with him?" the Exceed asked. "Is he dying?"

"No," she told them with another giggle. "He's just got the flu, I think. I stayed with him most of the morning, but had to come relieve Lisanna from her shift, so-"

"He's all alone? Alright!" Natsu fist pumped. "I'm gonna go over there then. He at your house?"

"Yes, but-"

"I can definitely take him now!"

"You would fight a sick man, flame breath?" Gray, who was over at a table close by, snorted as he unconsciously began stripping off his clothes. "Wow, some morals you got."

"What'd you say to me, Gray?"

"I said-"

"I'll make you eat those words!"

And, after Happy jumped off his head, Natsu went about his usual antics of fighting with his own rival. Mira only looked at her previous one.

"You're not going to break them up?"

"No," she sighed, shaking her head slightly. "I figure it will be a good way to get them, as Natsu would say, fired up."

"Fired up for what?" Lucy asked slowly.

"For the job that I am going to be taking you all on in the coming hour."

"What? I don't-"

"Do you not want to go, Lucy?"

"Well-"

Mira only giggled again as she went to give Happy his fish. The cat was very thankful and dug in almost immediately.

"Who's with Laxus right now, Mira?" the cat asked. "I know when I get sick, I like for Natsu to take care of me. Err, well, Lisanna, but it's nice to have him there too."

"I left when he was sleeping," she said with a shrug. "He won't even know that I'm gone for another hour or so, I bet."

"Then he's alone?"

"Oh, no," she said, smiling as she went back to wiping down the bar. "I would never do that to him. I found someone to take care of him. Someone to take good care of him."

* * *

**This is another five chapter story to replace Bells and Tales, which I should finish tomorrow, in case anyone's wondering. **


	2. Chapter 2

Caring for a Dragon

Chapter 2

His head was pounding when he woke up. Not to mention his throat was scratchy and his stomach hurt. Barely opening his eyes, he said simply, "What happened to my belly rub?"

Instead of hearing the sweet cadence of Mirajane's celestial voice, he was accosted with a gruff and deep tone.

"There isn't enough thanks in the world Mira could give me to make that happen," the person grumbled. "Real men don't rub each other!"

Flinging his eyes open, Laxus found Elfman in the room, walking around. He was going over to the clothes hamper Mirajane had, clearly planning on washing them.

"What are you doing in here?" he growled, sitting up slightly and staring at him.

"Just getting these," he said, opening the hamper.

"Where's Mirajane?"

"Working."

"What?"

"Calm down," he heard someone else say then from the doorway. Not even looking over there, he knew exactly who it was. "We're here to take care of you."

"Evergreen," he said tensely, making a face at her. She only grinned slightly at him before rushing to his side.

"I want you to know," she began, taking that tone that she did when she was worried about him. Gah! She was always worried about him. The annoying broad. "That I'm here for you. Elfman and I will stay by your side until Mira gets here. Or even after if you-"

"As a man," Elfman spoke up. "I can't sit here and listen to my girlfriend talk to another guy like this."

"Then get out."

"You-"

"Knock it off, boys," she said, coming to lay a hand on Laxus' head. He only laid there though, hesitant to stop her. It would be a lie to say that sometimes, her and Freed's obsessive behavior didn't freak him out, but it would equally be a lie to say that it didn't give him some sort of an ego boost. "Now, tell us, Laxus; is there anything that we could do for you right now?"

"Get me my demon back," he grumbled.

"No can do," Elfman assured him as he headed out off the room. "She's working and will be until close."

"What? And I'm supposed to stay with you two bozos for the entire time?"

"We'll take care of you," she told him as Elfman, who was down the hall by that point, took to whistling. Ugh. "Ask us for anything. I promise, Laxus, that-"

"Yeah, yeah," he grumbled, shifting away when she tried to take to fulfilling his request and begin rubbing his stomach. She looked so shocked, but there was no way he'd let her ever do that. No matter what sort of weird obsession she had with him and how much he secretly liked it, that was still Mirajane's territory. Only. Restricted access. "Just…leave me alone."

"Do you need some more medicine? Or Mirajane left some soup in the fridge. Did you want that?"

"No. I want her."

"Laxus-"

"Go away." He rolled onto his side then, giving her his back. "I'm sleeping. You and Elfboy aren't needed here. At all."

He felt that way too…for about ten minutes or so. Then his fever kicked it into high gear and he wanted someone there to legitimize that yes, he was deathly ill and needed to be taken somewhere before he died.

"I really don't think-"

"You're dying?" Ever cut her boyfriend off, staring at him in shock. "Are you sure, Laxus?"

"Very. Mirajane's just too stupid to realize it."

"Do you want us to take you to-"

"Mira said that you think you're sicker than you really are," Elfman said slowly. "That you might try to make us-"

"I am dying, Elfman," Laxus told him as he laid in bed, sweating profusely and trying to keep the little soup Mira fed him earlier in the day down. "I think I would be the best person to ask about that. Not Mirajane. I would be the one to know."

"I never took you for, you know, such an overdramatic person," Elfman commented, frowning at him. Ever gave her boyfriend, who was standing next to her, a slap in the arm for the comment as Laxus only gave him a dirty look. He didn't feel well enough to do much else. "This is kinda unmanly here."

"Shush," Ever told him, frowning before looking back at Laxus. But he was leaving then, jumping up from the bed and rushing into Mira's adjoining bathroom.

"Gross." Elfman made a face, heading out of the bedroom. "Puking is not manly!"

And Ever, for once, seemed torn. She loved Laxus, she was devoted to everything he remotely was involved in, but it wasn't a true love. Not like Mira had for him.

"Uh, yell for me if you need me," she called to him as she followed her own boyfriend from the room. "When you're done doing…that."

As miserable as he was, it wasn't lost on Laxus that even one of his most loyal followers wasn't with him in his time of need.

Yes, need. Did they all miss the part where he blatantly told them that he was dying? Because he was pretty certain that he was in such an immense pain that death was inevitable.

Mirajane just didn't understand. And wouldn't she feel sorry, when he finally did die? Huh?

Huh?

When he finished with the bathroom, leaving most of his intestines behind, he was fairly certain, Laxus headed back into the bedroom, falling unceremoniously into the bed with a groan.

Hell. He had died and gone to Hell.

"Laxus? Do you need anything?"

He didn't even glance at the doorway. Of course Elfman and Evergreen would be in hell with him. There was no way that two of them would ever be anywhere else.

"Go away," he grumbled as Ever before groaning and rolling onto his side. "Leave me alone to die."

"If you really feel that badly, let us take you to-"

"Just leave. I'm fine."

"If you're sure."

Then Laxus just laid on his side and tried to breath as softly as possible. Though of course he wanted to feel better as soon as possible, he also kinda wanted to at least still be sick when Mirajane got home, so that she saw what she'd done. She hadn't just left him all alone, oh no, she took it a step further and left him with Elfman and Evergreen.

Seriously?

Still though, he was able to fall back asleep after laying around for awhile. And he was in that deep slumber when it happened.

They were yelling.

Loudly.

At…each other?

For some reason, being awoke about two hours later to the sound of Evergreen and Elfman fighting pissed Laxus off enough that, forgetting for a moment that he was ill (dying), he got up to go yell at them.

About halfway to the kitchen though, he was reminded just how bad he felt, but it was too late. He was going to yell at them. There was no other option.

"-believe that you would say something like that! Are you serious, Elfman?"

The man had his back to her as he stood over at the stove, apparently making something. "Stop yelling at me, woman."

"Stop calling me that."

"What else you want me to call you? 'cause you sure as hell aren't a man!"

"I don't want to be a man, Elfman. I don't need to be."

"Good! 'cause you never will be one!"

"Good!"

"Good!"

"G-"

"Would you idiots shut the _fuck _up? I am trying to die in peace!"

Elfman and Ever froze then at the sound of Laxus ranting. Glancing over their shoulders, they found him in the doorway of the kitchen, looking less than happy. Far less.

"Laxus," Ever said slowly, turning fully to face him then. "Hey. Didn't know that you were-"

"I can't stay here," he growled before turning to walk away, back to the bedroom. "Not with you two idiots."

"Where are you gonna go?" Elfman asked.

"Home. I'm going home." His stomach lurched before he even made it back to Mira's room. "Soon. After I rest for a minute."

"Ever, we can't let him go," Elfman hissed at her, forgetting for a moment that they were still fighting. "Then he'll tell Mirajane and-"

"Laxus," she groaned, heading after him. "You can't go anywhere. Just go lay back down. We'll-"

"No. I hate it here. More than I hate the two of you."

"Laxus-"

He slammed Mira's bedroom door behind him when he got to it. Stupid Ever and Elfman.

* * *

She was humming as she stood in front of the door, fishing in her pocket for the key as she balanced the bowl in her other hand, trying hard to keep it from tipping over. Not to mention she was trying to hide the fact that she was more than a little peeved.

"Laxus," she called out softly as she walked into the tiny apartment. "Are you here?"

He was. The man hadn't been able to make it to his bedroom though and was passed out on the sofa in the center of the room, a blanket tossed over him.

"Here you are," Mira sighed as she closed the door behind her. Carrying the soup over to the coffee table, she sat the bowl down before moving to go shake her boyfriend's shoulder gently.

"Mmmm?"

"Hey, silly. I brought you some soup, some pills, and, well, me of course."

"Of course," he mumbled hoarsely as Mirajane only giggled a little. It was so dark in his apartment that his eyes didn't hurt at all when he opened them. "Mira."

"And where do you get off then, Laxus?" She was down on her knees by the couch, gently pushing his sweaty hair out of his face as she stared at him. "Leaving?"

"More comfortable here."

"Really?"

Grunt. "And I hate Elfman and Ever. They're annoying."

"Oh Laxus, they said that they were trying to help you. That's all. You know that Ever only wants to take care of you. And Elfman-"

"No. You shouldn't have left me."

"I had to work."

"And? That stupid guild don't need you. Not the way I do."

"It does need me."

"So do I."

"And I gave you someone to take my place while-"

"No one can take your place." Then he frowned at the way that sounded. "Or whatever."

Mirajane still only grinned before moving to stand once more. "Do you wanna stay out here then? On the couch?"

"Yeah."

"Well, let me go and heat up the soup, huh? Then I'll set you up better on the couch."

Even when he wasn't sick (dying) it was easy for Laxus to fall into the role of being babied by Mirajane. It was her nature to be mothering and, well, he'd always been in need of one.

"Feel better?" she asked after getting him his food, another blanket, and some pillows.

"Mmmhmm."

"Oh," she said suddenly, turning to walk away then and head back to his bedroom. "I almost forgot."

She returned quickly with the little dragon doll that he'd won her once at a carnival. It sat up on his dresser for the most part, but sometimes Mirajane would move it around the apartment. He mostly just considered it the product of a moment of weakness, back in the early days of their relationship when he tried abundantly to please her.

She considered it their baby.

He didn't see a difference.

"Mira," he complained as she went to snuggle the stuffed animal against his face before letting it rest on the couch with him. "I don't-"

"He wants to make his daddy feel better."

"Don't be weird," he groaned, though he was nearly certain it was impossible for her not to be.

"Now eat your soup," she instructed, giggling slightly. "Then we can get some more medicine in you, huh?"

He only groaned as Mirajane walked off. When she came back, it was with the chair from the desk he had in his bedroom.

"I'll be right here the whole night," she told him as she sat it right next to the couch. "Okay?"

"Go sleep in bed, Mira," he sighed. "I'll be-"

"No, no," she said, shaking her head slightly. "I want to be here in case you need me."

"You're really something, you know?"

"I just love you," she told him simply. "A lot."

He blinked then before smiling even though his stomach was still rolling and he knew that that soup only had a limited amount of time left in there. Still though, it was the sincerity that Mira always had when she said something like that that made him feel a little better about whatever was going around.

"I love you too," he sighed as she only giggled. "Demon."

He must have been up and down that whole night, spending more of the time in the bathroom than he ever did on the couch. Mira was with him the whole time too. Rubbing his back, wiping his face with a towel, or just trying to get him more comfy on the couch when he continued to insist that he didn't wanna go all the way to the bedroom. It was further from the bathroom, anyhow.

"I just want you to feel better," Mirajane sighed at one point as he laid flat out on the couch, her leaning over him as she settled the blankets around her. "I know it's just the flu or whatever-"

"Dying," he reminded her. "I'm dying."

"-but I never like to see you hurting." She seemed really concerned then as she gently brushed a kiss against his head before going to sit down once more. Then she giggled. "You usually hate when I do this."

"Do what?"

"You know. Treat you like a baby. You complain or-"

"If I have to die-"

"Would you stop saying-"

"-then I want to go out with you taking care of me." He shifted slightly under the blankets she had him snuggled up in. Once again, on his chest, was that damn yellow stuffed dragon. But if it would make Mirajane feel good… "And with our baby."

That perked her right back up as she reached out to grab the toy and rub it in his face. She was so simple at times to entertain. But still, he was a sucker for all her different moods and feelings.

Even when he himself wasn't feeling much up for anything.

"You can't sleep there the whole night," he told her at one point as she started to nod off in the chair. "Seriously, Mira, you-"

"I'm fine," she yawned, not opening her eyes. "You just worry about you, Laxus. Huh?"

"Never," he yawned as he too started to drift off. Not when she was involved.


	3. Chapter 3

Caring for a Dragon

Chapter 3

Mira tried to get him to eat some toast that morning, before she left, but he refused. He only complained that his stomach hurt and that he didn't want to throw up again. Then she reasoned that if he didn't eat anything and then took medicine, that he'd only feel worse.

"Then I won't take medicine."

"Laxus."

Eventually though, she did get him to eat a little as well as take his pills. Then she made him some tea before leaving for the day, calling out that she'd have someone come over to check on him later.

"No, Mira," he'd complained as she made her way to the door. "Don't. I don't want Evergreen and-"

"It won't be them. It'll be-"

"No one. I want no one."

Ignoring that, she'd only called back, "Bye, Laxus," over her shoulder as she left, closing the door between them to block out whatever he yelled back at her. It was so hard, caring for a dragon, but a temperamental one? Sheesh.

He fell back asleep around then though he was rather uncomfortable and mostly just wanted his demon to hurry up and finish with work so she could come back. It was hard to sleep when she wasn't rubbing his stomach or talking softly about how much she loved him.

Not that he was lonely or something. Because he wasn't. Lonely was for losers. He was just…he just… He just really liked when Mirajane was around. That's all.

So when he awoke a few hours later to the sound of giggling, he was hopeful. For half a second. Then he realized that those giggles were not the ones of his demon. Oh no. They were close, but no cigar.

"What the hell are you doing in my kitchen?"

Laxus had gotten up from the couch to march in there, as it was where he heard the sounds coming from, only to find them in there. Bickslow and Lisanna. She totally had her nasty butt up on his counter as he stood in front of her, head bent down as he kissed at her neck.

Laxus just about vomited. Seriously. And not from being sick.

"Hey, boss," Bickslow greeted loudly as he glanced over his shoulder. Lisanna had one of her hands wrapped around his neck and dropped it in shock at the sight of her sister's boyfriend.

"L-Laxus," she said as she moved to shove him away then before jumping down off the counter. "Hey. We didn't think you'd wake-"

"The hell are you idiots dong?" he growled as he glared at them.

"We were just, uh, talking," she said as Bickslow only reached over to grab his sallet off the counter before sticking it back on his head. "And waiting for you of course!"

Lisanna glanced at him before back at Laxus and smiling. "Yeah. We were just killing time until you got up and we could, you know, take care of you."

He narrowed his eyes at them before turning and walking away, back into the living room where he promptly laid back down on the couch.

"Get out," he growled at them as they followed him into the room. "Both of you."

"We can't, Laxus," Lisanna told her as she came to stand before him. "Mirajane scolded Elfman and Ever for letting you get away. She told us that we have to stay here until-"

"Well you don't," he said. "I'm fine. I'm not a little kid. I can take care of myself."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah."

"I believe you, boss," Bickslow said as Lisanna only made a face at the ill (dying) man. "But Lissy here don't. And your girlfriend don't. So-"

"I'm fine," he insisted. "And even if I wasn't, I wouldn't want you two losers here with me."

"But-"

"And where are your damn dolls, Bickslow?" Laxus asked. "I thought-"

"They're here," he assured him. "But when me and Lisanna were in the kitchen, they went, you know, to sleep. So we laid them down in your bed."

"You what?"

"They like to be somewhere comfy," Lisanna told him. He only gave her a look back.

"Not you too."

"I know, Laxus, that they're not really sleeping, but still." She giggled when she glanced at Bickslow and he stuck his tongue out of his mouth. Bleh. Yuck. Laxus' stomach churned from just seeing something like that.

It wasn't that he completely hated the idea of Bickslow dating Mira's sister. In fact, he thought that Bickslow was a fine choice for her. He was funny and liked to goof off a lot. Kinda like the Salamander, whom Lisanna had made it plainly obvious to her older sister (and him by default) over time that she was in love with. Natsu, however, had proven to be far more interested in his stupid blonde teammate, just about killing Lisanna. Bickslow was a good fix for that. He was energetic, had those stupid dolls to play with, and, best of all, Laxus didn't hate him.

Much.

Another good thing about him though is that Laxus has ultimate control over him. It was just one of the things that tied in with how great he was, he figured. The Thunder Legion saw that and loved him for it. If Laxus at any time wanted Bickslow to, per se, take Lisanna out to dinner so she'd be out of the house and he could have at her sister, it was a done deal. Same with Ever and stupid Elfboy. And if Mira had another sister (or preferably a brother) for Freed, he'd throw him into the mix too. Anything to keep his demon free of everything so he could have her whenever he wanted.

There was one problem with the relationship, however, that Laxus hadn't accounted for. And it was presenting itself to him in that moment.

They were more than just good for one another. They were a match. They literally spent everyday of the last few months that one of them wasn't out on a job together. Every single one of them.

Even he and Mirajane didn't do that! And they were way more in love than-

Err, love was a strong word.

But still. It was disgusting. Lisanna and Bickslow should have gotten over that already, that fuzzy, warm feeling you got from being around your new beau. Any normal couple would be transitioning into that slow building hatred that was intermingled with lust and hopelessness.

Nope. Not them. They were still the same kooky idiots that could hardly keep their hands off each other as they wasted all their energy on just being damn annoying. Or at least they were to him. Annoying. He'd take Elfboy and Evergreen over the two of them.

…No. Never mind. Strike that from the record.

"The point is," Bickslow was saying then as Laxus contemplated shooting himself with lightening. It would be a graceful suicide in comparison to dying a horrible death of having to witness the two idiots before him care for him in his final days. "We're here for you, boss."

"Yeah," Lisanna giggled. "We both think being medics would be fun."

"Super fun," Bickslow agreed. "Especially if Lisanna got to wear a nurse's outfit."

She hit him then in the chest as he only grinned. "Bickslow!"

But she was giggling and he was laughing and Laxus was in Hell, wasn't he? That stuff with Ever and Elfboy was just the first level, huh? And he was sinking further and further every day? That had to be it.

And he just knew, had a sinking feeling, that at the very pit of the depths of the dark underworld, he'd find himself being cared for by none other than the damn Salamander and his ditzy girlfriend.

Oh and the cat. The damn cat.

What had he done to deserve all of this? Huh? Huh?

…Oh yeah. He'd actually done a lot of bad things. Huh. In retrospect, the punishment was actually rather fitting.

"So, Laxus," Lisanna was saying then after she and her boyfriend had finished giggling. "Did you need anything? We're your resident nurses now."

"And I might be a hot male nurse," Bickslow said then as Lisanna developed even more giggles before he even got to the punch line of whatever stupid joke he was attempting to make. "But I won't be giving you a sponge bath. So don't even ask."

And oh if the two of them didn't fall over at that one. Lisanna even chipped in that she wouldn't be either, so he shouldn't get any ideas.

Great. There were comedians in Hell. As if they hadn't been bad enough on Earth Land.

Things only got worse from there when Bickslow's dang dolls actually became active again. They flew around, wanting Lisanna to chase them. It was a game that she played with them, apparently. Or so Bickslow took to explaining to him.

"Yeah," he sighed as he sat on the arm rest of the couch, down by Laxus' feet. The slayer was honestly considering just kicking him off. "She's real good with my babies. I think…I think I finally found it, boss."

"Found what?" he grumbled as he glared at the helmeted man. Bickslow only sniffled a little, as if emotional.

"My babies' mama."

Yep. Laxus did it then. He literally kicked him off the arm rest.

But really, did he have any other choice?

After that whole debacle got solved (Lisanna threatened to tell Mira that Laxus had kicked Bickslow which prompted him to threaten telling her about how Lisanna had been making out in the apartment instead of taking care of him, which led them to forcing a very tentative truce on the grounds no one tell Mirajane anything), a whole other issue was brought up.

"Uh, boss? What is this?"

"Give that back!"

Lisanna snickered. "That's his and Mira's baby."

"Really?" Bickslow, who'd snagged the little stuffed yellow dragon off the couch, held it up in wonder. "What's its name?"

"I don't-"

"Give him back!"

"Ah, so it's a he, huh?" Bickslow only tossed to the giggling Lisanna. "Didn't know you were an aunt, Lissy."

"Mmmhmm."

"Give him back!"

That took more negotiating to get everything all settled. Eventually, Laxus threatened to strike one of the damn dolls floating around with a lightening strike if they didn't hand over his, as Lisanna put it, baby.

"Possessive much?" Bickslow complained as Lisanna gave Laxus the dragon. He only snatched it while glaring at them. "Sheesh."

"You know," his girlfriend said. "Some people just have a hard time adjusting to being a parent."

"Not us," he said as his dolls came to rest on her head, shoulders, and even one, in her hand.

"Definitely not us."

"But Laxus though-"

"Certainly."

"I mean-"

"Shut the fuck up," he growled as he sat his little dragon next to him on the couch. "Before I don't strike your damn dolls, but rather the two of you!"

Lisanna and Bickslow glanced at each other then before at the slayer before them.

"You got it, boss."

"We were only kidding, Laxus."

Grunt. Shifting on the couch, he made sure his little dragon doll was where Mira could see it when she showed her face, so she knew that he was taking good care of it in her absence, before going back to sleep.

Stupid Lisanna and Bickslow.

* * *

Mirajane was, as always, humming as she made her way into Laxus' apartment. And upon entering, her eyes of course immediately fell to her boyfriend, but then drifted to the far wall. Against it were the backs of Bickslow and Lisanna as they apparently took Laxus snoozing as an excuse to, well, makeout, really. Heavily. Nothing Mira wanted to see her baby sister doing, at least.

They were both really red when she caught them, but she was more concerned with Laxus, honestly, and only sent them on their way, along with a tray of brownies she had brought from work to give to them in thanks.

"Remember," she called out to them as they rushed off. "Safe sex is-"

"Ew, Mira!"

"Thanks for the brownies!"

Then they, along with Bickslow dolls, were gone and it was only her and Laxus. He had woken up and was sitting up some while eyeing the bowl in her hand.

"For me?"

"Mmmhmm." She came to set it on the coffee table. "But first I wanted to get you in the bath."

"Mira-"

"You're all sweaty, I'm sure, and it'll make you feel better. Not to mention the steam will help you lots. Promise."

It took some more prodding and the promise that yes, she was taking one with him, to get Laxus in there. And even then he wasn't happy.

"See?" Mira sighed as she settled back against him. "Doesn't this make you feel loads better?"

"No."

"Laxus-"

"I'm tired of being sick."

"Yeah, well, from what I hear, everyone's tired of you being sick, so-"

"Oh, like I chose to be? No. I would much rather be out on a job right now instead of in this stupid tub with you- Ow!"

She reached back to pinch him.

"You might be sick, Laxus," she sighed as she then moved to grab the soap and begin lathering up, "but that does not mean you can be rude."

After their bath, Mira heated up his soup before getting him into bed to eat it.

"You'll feel better in here."

"That's what you said about the bath," he complained as she got their little dragon baby so he could sleep in bed with them as well. "But here we are. I'm still miserable."

"Oh, Laxus," she sighed as she sat cross-legged next to him on the bed. "Sit up, huh? And I'll feed you?"

"I don't need you to-"

"Please? It'll make me feel better."

"I'm the sick one," he complained though he did open his mouth some and allow her to spoon feed him some of her soup, much to the delight of his little demon. "I'm the one that's supposed to be making demands to feel better."

Mirajane only giggled, quickly moving to feed him some more. There was nothing she liked more than taking care of her boyfriend. It was so rare that he'd be that weak for her and, honestly, she was loving it.

…Not that she wanted him to be sick. Or would start giving him things to keep him ill, like spoiled foods or something silly like that. No. Ha ha. The thought hadn't even crossed her mind…

"Tomorrow I work in the morning," she told Laxus as he only laid there, as despondent as ever, allowing her to take care of him. "So I'm going to have someone over here as soon as-"

"What? No. Mira, I'm tired of babysitters. Seriously. Bickslow and Lisanna were the worst. They-"

"Don't worry," she said as she only shoved some more soup down his sore little throat. "You'll like tomorrow's help a lot better."

"Not Natsu and Lucy. Please. I would-"

"Do you really think I'd ever do that to you?"

He only gave her a look. "Demon-"

"I wouldn't, Laxus," she sighed as she rolled her eyes. "Promise."

"Can't you just tell me right now who-"

"No."

"But-"

"There's a little thing called suspense, Laxus. Ever heard of it?"

He only groaned. Yes. And he hated it.


	4. Chapter 4

Caring for a Dragon

Chapter 4

When Laxus first began to awaken, he just laid there for a moment, eyes shut, as he allowed his body to readjust to the world. He could feel someone breathing softly, next to him, which wouldn't have been so odd…had he not know that whoever it was wasn't on the bed, but rather next to it, off to the side.

Letting out a soft groan, he opened his eyes before turning his head to the side…only to be greeted not by the angelic face of his little demon. Oh no. Instead he found his green haired follower.

"The hell?" he yelled as he jumped back, making Freed, who had pulled up a chair to the side of the bed while leaning over so that he could stare at his loveable leader, frown.

Err, he was loveable to Freed. Very loveable. Like a big-

"The fuck you think you're doing, Freed?" Laxus growled as he scrambled to get away, pulling the sheets up around himself. He was never one to be timid with his body. Hell, everyone should look at it! It was great! He spent hours upon hours crafting it. Every inch of it was pure heaven!

…But Freed was creeping him out beyond repair at the moment.

"L-Laxus," he stuttered as he sat up, just staring at him. "I was worried about you. Mirajane asked me to come over and sit with you-"

"Sit with me? I ain't on my deathbed! And even if I was, this wouldn't be the right way to go about it!"

"B-But Ever told me that you thought that you were dy-"

"Not seriously, man," Laxus grumbled as he shoved out of bed, rushing to go find some clothes to pull on. "That was just to make the women feel bad for me."

"The women?"

"Ever, Lisanna, and Mirajane," he grumbled, struggling to pull a shirt over his head. "I just have the damn flu. So-"

"But I am here to care-"

"Dude, look, I put up with it, alright? You're…little obsession. But watching me when I sleep?" He groaned, glancing over at him. "I thought we went over that?"

"Well, you said on jobs that you did not wish for me to monitor your breathing habits, but-"

"Right. This applies to that rule."

There were a lot of rules when it came to Freed and Laxus. A lot. All made up by the Thunder God himself. Mainly because, though he was loyal to the end and was one hell of a mage, the dark ecriture user had some very odd tendencies.

He liked to…touch. A lot more than Laxus did. Bickslow shook his hands or would pat him on the back, but Freed very much so enjoyed hugging or even tried rubbing at his shoulders before. Which just wasn't cool with Laxus. And then there was the whole playing with his hair incident a few weeks ago which ended very, very badly.

Not that Laxus didn't know what was going on. 'cause he did. He was freaking smoking. Everyone was in love with him. They just didn't all realize it. Freed did. That was fine. He saw how attractive Laxus was (he was sex on wheels, seriously) and it was plainly clear. Whatever.

He just didn't have to be such a damn freak about it.

Freed stood then, from his chair, bowing immediately to his leader. "Of course. I only…I was only fearful for you. Of your health. And if you would like-"

"I want you to get out is what I want."

"O-Out?"

"Yeah," Laxus complained, pulling on a pair of jeans. He was starting to feel really hot though in that moment. Burning up, really. He knew it was because his body didn't want him being so active while it was sick, but it couldn't be helped.

"But you need someone to-"

"No, dude. I don't."

"But Mirajane said-"

"Mirajane was wrong."

"Really?"

Snort. "The demon's wrong about everything. Especially if it goes against what I say." Then, pausing, he glanced over at Freed before narrowing his eyes. "You doubting me?"

"Of course not, Laxus. I only-"

"Only what? Huh? You take orders from Mira now? Or me? What? Tell me. Now. Who do you-"

"You, of course, but-"

"But what? Huh? Huh? Huh?"

He was causing the man to tense up. There was nothing Freed hated more than when Laxus was disappointed in him. He strived daily to impress him, to worship him, to show him that he was worthy. Any critique against him really hurt his heart.

"It is only…" Freed took a deep breath before looking his idol in the eyes. "I am baking you cookies and they are still in the oven. I planned on making you breakfast too as well as-"

"Oh." Laxus paused then. "Why didn't you say something?"

Wasn't that what he was trying to do?

"Sorry, sir."

"Speak up next time." With that, Laxus headed out of the room. "I gotta take a leak. My, uh, throat's kinda sore. And I'm out of ice cream. I can't eat cookies without ice cream, can I?"

"No," he said slowly. "I am only worried, however, about your ability to keep your food down. The cookies were for if you felt better. If you don't-"

"Go get my ice cream, Freed," he grumbled before going into the bathroom. "And be quick about it."

"Of course, sir."

While Freed was gone, Laxus spent some time washing off his face. He felt rather hot, if not burning up. His stomach pains had seemed to ebb though and he was left just feel ill. Not dying though. Not if it meant freaky Freed was going to be all over him.

Upon his return, Laxus' most loyal follower came bearing ice cream, of course, but other things as well.

"I said ice cream," Laxus complained as Freed handed him the whole carton before heading off to get a spoon. "Not all this junk."

"It is not junk," Freed told him. When Laxus raised an eyebrow, he only bowed his head. "I mean, it is, of course, if you think so. But-"

"But nothing." He snatched the spoon form him before flipping the top off the ice cream carton. Glancing down at it, he grunted. "My favorite."

"Of course." Freed went to the bags that he had brought in then and began pulling things out.

"I noted that you are low on blankets, so I bought you one," he said, setting it on the ocuhc next to Laxus.

"I ain't low on shit. I'mma man. Men don't need-"

"I also saw this and thought it would be nice for Mirajane."

"A candle? Why-"

"Laxus," he said slowly. "Surely you know."

"Know what?"

He glanced around before saying slowly, "Take no offense, Laxus, but this place stinks. Horribly. With your enhanced sense, I thought you would notice, but-"

"It doesn't' stink." Laxus took a deep breath then, but with his nose all clogged, it was really a hollow gesture. "And Mira would have said something if-"

"I actually bought a few candles," he said, pulling some more out of the bag. "She can pick which scent she likes best."

"What are you now? My woman's keeper?"

Moving right along, Freed pulled a box of tissues from the box. "Here. You need these too."

He sniffled. "Tissues are for the weak."

"Laxus-"

"You sound like Mira. Which I don't like." He went back to his ice cream. "And go make sure my cookies aren't burning. And get me a drink while you're at it."

Sighing, Freed headed off to do just that. How did Mirajane put up with him all day? There was no one that Freed was more dedicated to, no one that he held in such high-esteem, but honestly? Sick Laxus was twenty times worse than regular Laxus. And coming from him, that was really saying something.

"My drink," Laxus called from the living room causing Freed to sigh and shake his head. "Freed. What are you? Huh? Dense? Hurry up! I'm sick or did you forget?"

"Mirajane can have him," he grumbled as he rushed to do what the man wanted. As he learned that day, Laxus was much better to just admire from afar. Though he knew he'd forget about that probably in the next week and be right back to worshipping him, in that moment he wished he had someone else there to help him out.

"And to think," he sighed. "You wanted him all to yoursel-"

"My cookies? What are you doing in th-"

"Coming, Laxus," he groaned. He would have thought that it would be a long day, but considering he hadn't even made it through the morning yet, he wasn't so sure he'd last.

* * *

"I can't believe that he let you do this, Laxus."

He only moaned, laying on his side. "I think he poisoned me."

"No," Mira groaned as he laid on the bathroom floor, staring at the toilet forlornly. "Why would Freed ever-"

"For rejecting his advances."

"What advances?"

Blinking, Laxus looked to the bathroom doorway where his girlfriend stood. "Babe, look at me. Who doesn't make advances towards- Oh God."

He sat up then, quickly, moving to hang his head over the toilet once more. Mira frowned before coming closer.

"Why would he let you eat all of that food? Huh?"

"I felt better," he groaned after he'd tossed his cookies once more. No, literally. "So we thought-"

"You big dopes, just because you didn't feel bad right then didn't mean you weren't still sick. Cookies were not on the detailed list I gave him to feed you."

"You made a list?"

"That's not the point."

Groaning, he moved to fall back to the floor again. "Mira, I'm sick."

"You're stupid is what you are."

What?

With a frown, he glanced back over at her. "Mira-"

"Freed told me how rude you were to him, Laxus."

Snort. "I'm a rude guy. What do you expect?"

Rolling her eyes, she came further into the room to get him a cold washcloth.

"Sit up," she groaned once she ran one under the tap before coming closer to him. "And let me-"

"You're not very nice today."

She only got down on her knees next to him as he moved to sit back on his butt. "I didn't have the best day at work."

"What?" He frowned as she took to rubbing the washcloth all around his face, paying close attention to his lips. "Is someone bothering my demon? I'll kill 'em. I'll kill 'em all. As retribution. I'll-"

He stopped talking then as scrambled away from her and back to the toilet. Mirajane only sighed before taking to rubbing his back and attempting to soothe him.

"Shhh. It's alright," she sighed once he was done. "See? All better. Your tummy just can't handle-"

"I'm not five," he grumbled, shifting to sit away from the toilet. She only went back to washing his face. "Mirajane."

"But you're still my sick little dragon," she told him softly. "And I gotta take care of you."

Groaning, he said, "Not if someone at the guild's bothering you. I'll strike the whole place with lightening. Fry 'em all. You like that? Huh?"

She was giggling then as he only leaned forwards slightly to rest his forehead against hers. Mirajane only stared at him for a moment. It wasn't until he tried to kiss her that she pulled back.

"I love you, Lax, and I would never reject you, but… Really, I'm not exactly big on vomit breath."

He only let his head fall then before mumbling, "Just leave me here to die then."

"Oh, Laxus." Standing once more, she reached down to take one of his hands. "Come on. Let's go get back in bed."

"I don't wanna."

"Yes, you do. Besides, if you go, I'll rub your tummy."

Well, with that sort of a prospect…

When they made it to the bedroom though, Mirajane only left him on the bed as well as their little stuffed dragon 'baby' before going back into the living room. He thought that she was just going to get him some water or pills or something.

Until she returned with Freed's crap.

"Mira-"

"It's a nice blankie for our bed. Freed's very sweet." She went to lay it down next to him. In her other hand though was one of his candles.

Smelling it, she said, "I think I like this one the best. Do you-"

"No candles."

"Oh, Laxus."

"I don't get you and Freed anyhow," he complained as she set the unlit candle down on the nightstand before climbing into bed with him. "Shouldn't you guys be, like, rivals or something? For my affection?"

"Mmmm," she sighed as she moved to lay on her side and begin stroking his tummy. Pushing up his shirt slightly, she did so right against his flesh. "You ever think, Lax, that maybe, just maybe, Freed's not attracted to you? At all?"

Snort. "No."

"That maybe this was all just in your head? Something that you thought up? Have decided is fact and are too bone headed to-"

"Mira, Mira, Mira," he sighed as he shut his eyes. Her hand felt very nice against his abs. Did he mention he had abs? Hell, yeah he did. "Everyone wants me."

"My poor little dragon's delusional." She leaned up to kiss his cheek. "And it has nothing to do with his fever."

"Do you honestly think that I don't have male sex appeal? When I have so much female appeal?"

"I think that you have a very inflated state of self because so many sleezy women used to throw themselves at you because they thought that you were the strongest mage in Magnolia."

"Thought?"

"And I think that it's slowly begun to eat away at your brain that you're only getting older and, eventually, that's all going to fade and be a memory," she went on. "Especially now that you're with me."

"I can still attract women if-"

"Are we forever?"

"Well-"

"Then you better stop attracting women." She let out a slow breath. "And the men that you think you are, but really aren't."

"Please. I could have Freed in here, right now, doing…you know that thing you won't do?"

"How do you know he'd do-"

"Trust me." He let out a slow breath. "I know."

"You're so full of yourself."

"And? I'm the greatest-"

"You're the greatest fucking mage to ever walk the planet. All planets. Ever. In existence." His cheek got another kiss. "You're also the most repetitive and predictable man I know."

Laxus only huffed. "Well, anyhow, Freed wants me. And I still really wanna do that thing too, while we're on the top-"

"No."

"Even though I'm sick? And might be dying? And it might be my last chance to fuck you while-"

"Even though," she sighed, shutting her eyes. "And anyhow, Laxus, I'm off tomorrow. So it's just gonna be me and you. All day. Alright?"

He only sniffled. "Alright. I'm feeling better already though."

"Uh-huh."

"Really."

"We'll see," Mira said. "I mean, I even think-"

She stopped then, sitting up as she skewed up her face before making the cutest little sneezing noise. It usually made Laxus smile. But at the moment, he only frowned.

"Mira-"

"It was just a sneeze," she reasoned as she laid back down. "Trust me. I raised Elfman and Lisanna when it was only the three of us, living in the little shack after my parents died. I have dealt with many, many illnesses. I'm immune to everything."

"If you're sure," he said slowly.

"Very. I don't ever catch anything."

Boy, he hoped so.

* * *

**Next one's the last one. **


	5. Chapter 5

Caring for a Dragon

Chapter 5

Laxus thought being sick had been horrible. He thought that there was nothing worse than it. The sweats, the shivers, the sore throat, and worst of all, the puking. And that's not even mentioning the migraines, running nose, or the fatigue.

He quickly learned though that there was something worse than all of that. It was watching your girlfriend go through it. Err, rather, it was putting up with your girlfriend as she went through it.

"Go! Just go then, Laxus, on your stupid job. I thought that you loved me, but-"

"I'm not saying, Mira, that I don't love you, but when you yell at me for buying the wrong damn thing after I got up to-"

"You bought thick tissues, Laxus. They make my nose raw. I am so sorry that you're too _incompetent_ to-"

"You're about to get it, woman."

That was just one of their arguments. Sick Mirajane was apparently a lot less innocent and caring than regular Mira. That was most obvious when Laxus, after coming home from the store, found Lisanna running from Mira's bedroom in tears.

"What's wrong?" he called out to her as she passed. "Lisanna?"

"I hate her! She's a horrible, rotten demon and should just die already," she sobbed as Bickslow, who was waiting for her in the living room, came to investigate what was going on. His babies immediately took comforting her, calling out her name in concern.

Leaving her boyfriend to comfort her, Laxus went to peek in at his own woman. She was sitting up in bed, glaring at the door.

"Mira-"

"She's the one-"

"What did you do?" he grumbled as he came further into the room, shutting the door behind him. "She's crying, demon."

"Good!"

"What did you do?"

"Nothing."

"Mirajane-"

"None of you listen! You don't clean right, you don't cook right, and she hardly does her job up at the guild. I need to be better!"

And then she promptly fell into a round of tears before going back to sleep.

She was crazy. But then again she always had been.

On the second day of her sickness, Laxus spent practically the whole time listening to her whine, yell, and berate them all. Somewhere intermingled with all that, he finally got out of her exactly what had ruined her time at work a few days ago.

It was only once he had her napping and Lisanna (who'd recovered from the crying jag) there to take care of her that he went to deal with it.

"Laxus," Natsu greeted as he came into the guildhall. "Fight me!"

There was no fight. There was no mention of one from the lightening mage. Oh, no. Because the Thunder God knew what Natsu had done the day before.

"Laxus!" Lucy and Gray yelled as Natsu was put into a headlock by the man.

"I'll fucking kill you," he hissed at Natsu who scrambled to get him off. "You get that?"

"What did he do?" Erza was there as well, but remained calmly seated at the table. She would save Natsu. Maybe. If she deemed it necessary.

"The other day, you thought it was funny to purposely ignore Mirajane when she told you to get your muddy shoes off the table. Even bounced around on the others." Laxus tightened his grip. "Didn't you, loser? And then you left her to clean it up all alone. Huh?"

"I was entertaining the masses!"

"Well, I hope you have a parade after your funeral," Laxus growled. "Because that's the only entertaining you'll be doing from this point forth."

"Erza," Lucy complained. "Make him stop."

She only went back to looking over the map spread out in front of her as she planned their next job out in full.

"You should take punishment when it is due," she said simply. Elfman, who was walking by, raised an arm up in agreement.

"Like a man!"

"I really think you should knock it off," Gray said as he stared at Laxus and Natsu, the latter off the ground slightly as Laxus choked the life out of him with his bicep. "I mean, after all this, it'd be a shame if I didn't get to be the one to kill him."

"No one's killing him," Lucy insisted. "Laxus, if you don't stop it, I'm going to tell Mirajane."

Snort. "Mira's sick. Try again."

"Uh…" She looked around. "Behave?"

He dropped Natsu, but that was only because he was glaring then, advancing on Lucy. She was shocked for a moment before realizing what she'd done.

"The fuck you say to me?"

"L-Laxus-"

"What? You think that I'm like some sort of animal? Huh?" His eyes were dark and he was growling deeply. He sounded like an animal. "You say that and I do whatever you want?"

"Well," Lucy said slowly as she held her hands up and looked to Erza for help. She was thoroughly interested in her map. "It works for Mirajane."

"And you did sort of drop him," Gray said as Natsu stayed on his knees, trying to get his breath back. When Laxus glared back at him, he only threw up his hands. "Just saying."

That was all the chance Lucy needed to rush across the guildhall to where Levy and Gajeel were sitting with Lily, knowing that if worst came to worst, Levy would make Gajeel protect her.

"Where the heck were you, Hap?" Natsu complained as his blue Exceed came fluttering down.

"Hiding," Happy said as he tried to comfort his best friend. He'd never admit it, but sometimes when the tough got going, he just had to up and hide. "I got mud on the tables too. I'm not like you, Natsu. He could actually kill me!"

"I could kill both of you," Laxus reminded them. "Come near me, cat, and I'll prove it."

With that, he went to get a beer before heading off back to the house to take care of Mirajane (and make sure she hadn't sent Lisanna into hysterics again). No one messed with his little demon.

No one.

* * *

"I hate being-" Sneeze. "Ugh."

"It's alright, demon," Laxus sighed as they sat in bed. He was staring down at a box of cigars that Bickslow had given him as a gift, wishing that she wasn't around so he could smoke one. She always went off on him about how nasty they were and how he was killing himself.

Everyone was killing themselves just by living. Everyone was terminal. Some were just on a faster path than others.

"You'll be all better in no time," Laxus mumbled as he pulled one of the cigars out to sniff it. They were expensive. "Wonder why he bought me-"

"It's not your birthday or anything," Mira sighed as she laid there next to him. "I think though that he found out that Freed bought you stuff and didn't want to be left out. You know how they are."

"Yeah, well, I like his gift a lot more than I like Freed's."

"Alright!" they heard then from outside her bedroom door.

Frowning, Laxus called out, "Bickslow! Are you eavesdropping on us?"

Through the door, they heard Lisanna's muffled reply of, "No."

"No," Bickslow's dolls mimicked.

"Go away," he grumbled. "Before I force you too."

They heard the patter of the two of them running away then as Mirajane only groaned.

She'd been a lot easier to take care of the past day. Laxus figured that the first two were just her being upset that she was missing work. For some reason, she equated being up at the guild as a part of who she was. Which was just crazy. She was a lot more than that to Laxus. Most importantly, of course, his girlfriend, but still. Barmaid was the only title she ever seemed to care about.

"What if Master gets mad at me?" she'd asked the first day when she could hardly get out of bed to make it to the bathroom when her stomach heaved. "That I'm missing work? And Kinana? And-"

"Hey," he'd grumbled as he only kissed her head. "If anyone says anything to you, then they better be ready to say something to me too, demon."

Eventually though, she'd accepted her fate of being sick and mostly just moped. She was miserable, he knew, but there wasn't much he could do for her. Besides, she'd made him just lay around and heal up. So it was kinda like payback in a weird way.

"They're so weird," Mira was mumbling then as he only glared at the closed door, as if willing Bickslow and Lisanna to come back.

Grunt. He went back to sniffing his cigar.

"Can I please-"

"No. I hate the smell of smoke."

"You work in a bar!"

"And? I said no."

Huffing, he moved to set them on the bedside table. "You know, Mira, I ain't much of a nurse. So you better stop treating me so badly before I just walk out on you."

"Shut up, Laxus," she grumbled as she took to sniffling. He only reached over to the box of tissues before handing her one. "Before I just kick you out."

"Whatever. Like I'd care."

But oh, he would. No one was taking him way from his little demon. Not even her. She was sick so that meant that he was going to spend his time actively helping keep her on the track to being healthy once more.

Honestly though, Mira was kinda killing his days. He'd spent so much time inactive from his own sickness and now he was wasting more with Mirajane. He was going to be so weak by the time he got back to taking jobs. Ugh.

Eventually, Mirajane fell back asleep and Laxus left the house to go sit on the back porch and smoke his cigar. Unfortunately for him, Bickslow and Lisanna were out there, in the backyard, playing with his babies. Well, really she was just chasing them around, which the dolls really liked as Bickslow laughed and stuck his tongue out and basically just looked like a fool.

Sigh.

Man though had he needed that cigar. It relaxed him to the fullest. Even the sounds of stupid Lisanna and Bickslow playing couldn't ruin it for him. Nope. He was at his element.

"You smell like smoke," was the first thing Mirajane said as he got back to her. He only climbed into bed.

"You smell like smoke," he retorted.

"Laxus-"

"How do you know I wasn't, like, grilling or something? Or making a bonfire or-"

"Shut up." She only laid there miserably, rolling her eyes at him. "You know, I spent all that time taking care of you trying to make you feel better. You're just trying to annoy me."

"Am not," he complained, glaring down at her as he sat up in bed. "That's not what I'm doing at all."

"Whatever, Laxus."

"I'm not, Mirajane." He flexed. "I'd fight the sickness out of you if I could. But I can't. So I'm trying my hardest to take good care of you. So I'm not helpful, compassionate, or even remotely skiled in the world of which medicines to give you and which not. But does that mean that I don't care? That I'm not trying?

"No. Because I am. I'm trying hard here, demon. Do you know how much wanderlust I got going right now? I'm going stir crazy! I want to hurt things. Badly. Every time Bickslow and Lisanna laugh, I want to shoot off a bolt into them. But do I do it?"

"You better not," Mira warned.

"No," he said, ignoring her. "I don't. Because, well, for one I might kill them and I have a feeling that you'll never forgive me for that."

"I wouldn't."

"Even though, I would like to point out, you forgave Elfman so-"

"Don't get kicked out. Seriously."

"My point is," he kept up. "That I'm bored here, Mirajane. Hell, I was going out of my mind when I was the one sick. You think that it's easier for me now that you're the one that needs someone to care for them? No. But I'm here. Because I love you. And I want to make sure that you're okay. And I know that no one can take better care of you than me!"

"Except, maybe, just about anyone."

He deflated a little bit, blinking as he stared down at her.

"You think that I ain't doing a good job?"

"I think that you're trying a bunch," Mira sighed. "But-"

"Well that's a real shitty thing to say, Mirajane." With that, he stood up. "If you think that someone else could do better, get them in here! At least I'm not like you were, leaving me with strangers-"

"I left you with your team, Laxus. You know them better than anyone."

"I do not," he kept up. "They know me, but I hardly take the time to remember their names."

"Now you're just being-"

"I try hard, Mirajane," he went on, "to do better with you than I ever have anyone. Do you think that just any woman gets this kinda treatment?"

"Yelled at while they're sick, you mean?"

He only glared at her before shaking his head slightly. "All that I've done for you and you can't even say thank you? Seriously?"

"Laxus Dreyar, you stop-"

"No! I'm the strongest fucking mage in the entire world and I'm here with you, Mirajane. Not out there, being a hero, saving the day, raking in the jewels and women. I'm here. To take care of you. And what are you doing? He shook his head. "You're acting like I'm not doing anything. I hold your hair back, I make you soup, I pick up your nasty tissues from the bed and put them in the trash. Me. And you're giving me no credit for anything!"

With a huff, he moved then to sit back down on the bed, facing away from her as he glared at the door. Mirajane, though she felt horrible and honestly just wanted to go back to sleep, pushed up and crawled over to him.

"Oh, Laxus," she sighed as she took to massaging his shoulder lazily. Sniffling slightly to keep from snotting on him, she said, "I'm sorry. Really."

"I just like to be appreciated," he grumbled as he shifted his eyes down to the cigar box he was holding. "I love you, Mirajane. And I might not always do right, but I try. I try super hard."

"I know," she said.

"And I love you lots. But you never give me the credit I deserve."

"Mmmhmm."

"No one does! I'm the strongest man alive and they still scoff at me. At me!"

"Shhh."

'I'm the son of Ivan fucking Dreyar," he went on. "I could have the whole world if I wanted. I'm twice as strong as him and quadruple times as strong as Gramps. I'm amazing. Impressive. I'm everyone woman's dream too, by the way."

"I know."

He sighed. "I just wanna feel appreciated some times, Mira."

"We all do."

"Not like me. I'm the most underappreciated person ever to live."

She blinked. Then, rolling her eyes, she decided not to mention all the thing she did for him on a daily basis that he never thanked her for. His laundry, making his meals, making sure that he had fresh soap in his apartment. She babied him to the fullest and most of the time, the only thanks she got was when she pointed out to him how she was feeling. And even then, it was usually hollow.

"Yeah, Laxus," Mirajane told him. "You are, aren't you?"

"Yes."

"I'm sorry."

"Mmmmm." He shut his eyes. "Little harder on this massage, demon."

Sniffling again, she did as he requested. Because while Laxus would be the first person to say that taking care of a demon was difficult, she'd be just as quick to point out that it was only temporary. Taking care of a dragon, however, never came to an end. Even when you yourself were deathly ill.

"Of course, Laxus," she sighed as she kept messing with his shoulders. "Little dragon."

* * *

**That's it for this story, guys. With only two active now, I'm probably going to start my next Bickslow and Lisanna story soon, for anyone waiting on that. **


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